23.08.2012. Munich/San Francisco. The BMW Group has extended its premium car sharing program DriveNow to the US. DriveNow launched in San Francisco in June with 70 electric vehicles. The innovative mobile parking solution, ParkNow, will debut in the Californian city in September.

Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for BMW Sales and Marketing: “The BMW Group not only manufactures premium automobiles, but also develops a range of services to meet the growing need for flexible mobility solutions in urban areas. The launch of DriveNow and ParkNow in San Francisco and other cities is part of our commitment to the development of new mobility offerings, which will reduce the level of pollutant emissions and traffic congestion and improve quality of life for residents.”

Seventy fully-electric, zero-emission BMW ActiveE cars are located at eight DriveNow stations across the entire city of San Francisco, with two more locations coming soon in the surrounding area. Customers register online or in person and can then use the DriveNow website or a mobile app to locate and reserve an available vehicle. The vehicle can be returned to the pick-up location or any other DriveNow station – so one-way trips are also possible, when needed. Through a partnership with the Californian company Coulomb Technologies and use of its ChargePoint network, drivers can easily locate the nearest charging point, in case they need to charge the vehicle during their unlimited rental. Parking and charging at DriveNow stations are free. Coulomb Technologies is the supplier behind the online network, ChargePoint. This, the world’s largest charging network, consists of independently-owned electric-vehicle charging stations.

The DriveNow premium car sharing programme is a modern mobility concept that combines top-quality vehicles and service with simple, flexible usage. DriveNow is the first car sharing concept to focus consistently on highly-efficient premium vehicles and comprehensive service. DriveNow was launched in Germany in June 2011 as a car sharing joint venture between the BMW Group and the car rental company Sixt AG. DriveNow now has around 45,000 members and is available in Munich, Berlin and Düsseldorf and, from the autumn, also in Cologne. In the US, DriveNow is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the BMW Group.

The electronic mobile parking service ParkNow allows users to reserve a parking space in advance, at a guaranteed, clearly-defined rate in accordance with the driver’s personal preferences. Customers can either use the ParkNow iPhone app to find a parking space, or reserve one, pay for it and get directions directly to it through the ParkNow website. This reduces both the time involved in finding a parking space and the environmental impact from pollutant emissions. 14 ParkNow stations are currently set up in and around San Francisco. ParkNow is a joint venture between BMW i Ventures and Urban Mobility.

The BMW Group offers DriveNow and ParkNow under its BMW i sub-brand. BMW i also delivers innovative mobility services that reinforce the BMW parent brand’s position as a sustainable, future-oriented brand. The BMW i brand comprises, in particular, the two revolutionary new vehicles, the BMW i3 and BMW i8, which will come onto the market in 2013 and 2014 respectively. These two models will be the first series-produced vehicles specially built with electric engine and electric hybrid drive train.

The venture capital company BMW i Ventures was founded in 2011 under the BMW i sub-brand, to provide financial support for companies developing mobility solutions for problems in densely-populated cities worldwide. The company aims to enhance individual mobility and is specialised in the areas of mobile connectivity and location-based services. BMW i Ventures is primarily focused on providing top-class mobility services. This also involves solutions that are not designed exclusively for the automobile.

Very cool. Here in DC we have Car2Go, which is basically a fleet of Smart cars you can pick up and park anywhere in the district. Much less of a hassle then having to return it to some designated spot.

I saw one of these cars in traffic today on Route 24 / 93 North near Boston, MA. Had to make a way around some traffic as I saw the circuit decals from the rear, and figured it was one of these "Electric ActiveE" I saw on BMW.com a while back. When I didn't see any BMW lettering on the side and werid front bumper and hood I figured it was just a ricer. Good to know!

I'm interested in electric cars and motorcycles, but don't like the typical styles of hybrid/electric cars - Prius, Smart ed, the (apparent) i3.

I liked that the ActiveE was a 1-series, a design I like and a sporty electric coupe. I always thought the old 02-series would make a cool electric concept - small, sporty, lightweight, great styling, great handling.

I've read that the sort of minivan-, stunted-, egg-shaped electric car style is gaining cache with people who like it to be known they're driving an electric car. But build a 1-series electric for people who like something more like a Fisker or Tesla, BMW, and I'd seriously consider one.